Abstract Solar wind-comet interaction is studied in an multifluid approach which treates electrons, protons and cometary ions as separate fluids coupled by macroscopic electromagnetic fields. As a striking feature, the model predicts the absence of a staedy-state cometary bow shock, contrary to results of single fluid studies. The solar wind is gradually slowed down due to mass loading up to the Alfvenic Mach point (≈ 105km from the nucleus for Halley conditions). The calculated plasma structures in this region show many similarities with the features observed by the VEGA and GIOTTO spacecrafts near the so-called cometopause, which is suggested to represent a multifluid shock. In addition, travelling weak shocks have been found to occur in the super-Alfvenic region as transient phenomena. Many of their properties are consistent with observations which hithertoo have been interpretet as cometary bow shock. Hybrid code simulations support the model results concerning travelling multifluid shocks.
Multifluid simulations of the solar wind-comet interaction
Advances in Space Research ; 9 , 3 ; 309-312
1989-01-01
4 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Solar wind interaction with comet Halley
Elsevier | 1985
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